2008 Château Haut-Brion, France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan, Wine Review

This is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc. A gorgeous wine that is still very young. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose is pretty classic for Haut Brion with cassis, crushed gravel, slight asphalt and strawberries. On the palate there are silky but firm tannins. Deep and complex, the layers unwind in the glass. Cassis and black cherries, slight strawberries over gravel and earth. Great balance. Long finish. This needs another ten years to maturity and should be there for a couple more decades after that. It is delicious right now but give it air. It will need bigger foods to match with it.

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Vintage:

2008

Current Price:

$450.00USD

1996 Château Haut-Brion, France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Wine Review

Vintage:

1996

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Current Price:

$460.00USD

Typically, Haut Brion is my favorite of all the first growths. Perhaps because the blend is a bit different. This vintage is 50% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11% Cabernet Franc. At age 24, this is just about at maturity. Purple/ruby in color, but starting to show some browning. Mostly clear and bright. The nose has black cherries, cherries, tobacco and slight earthiness. On the palate, a nice tart but sweet fruit - cherries, black cherries and slight black raspberries. Layers of complexity. Long finish. This won't get better from here, but should have ten to fifteen years a

2002 Château Haut-Brion, France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Wine Review

Vintage:

2002

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Current Price:

$400.00USD

From Magnum. This was an ok year in Bordeaux, but Haut Brion may have made the wine of the vintage. In regular bottles, this should be at or past peak, but in Magnum it was doing just fine. Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and flat. The nose is mature with cassis, cigar box, gravel and slight char. Medium bodied. Medium silky tannins. On the palate, cassis, with some tobacco, gravel and char. Some complexity. Good finish. Older bottles are always variable, but these should be drunk sooner than later. This will work better with hearty food. Cassoulet would work we

2008 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, France, Graves, Pessac-Léognan, Wine Review

Vintage:

2008

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Current Price:

$240.00USD

This is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. This was one of the least expensive wines in this magnificent tasting and really stood toe to toe with all of them. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, smoke, graphite and minerals. Very expressive if not huge. On the palate, there is a wonderful texture. Cassis with layers of minerals and char. Great balance. Long finish. This really took some time to open in the glass but then just kept getting better. It seems like it will need another decade to fully mature and then have a couple more after that (which seems

2008 Château Haut-Bailly, France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Leognan, Wine Review

Vintage:

2008

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Current Price:

$100.00USD

This is certainly one of the stars of its region. While not in the category of Haut Brion, neither is the pricing. Of course, it is not inexpensive either. This bottle was purchased on release. It was allowed to breathe for an hour and then consumed over the next few. Still on the young side, it offers up plenty of enjoyment right now. If you have a few, go ahead. If you just have one or two, then it's a hold. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, black cherries, some cedar, spice and a bit of minerality. On the palate, light tannins. Tight layers that unwind in the glass of cass

Bordeaux First Growths: Chateau Lafite, First Amongst First Growths

Of all Bordeaux first growths, perhaps none is as well known, both inside and outside of the wine world, as Chateau Lafite Rothschild. Its name transcends wine, standing as a symbol of luxury. How did it get this lofty reputation? And, more importantly is, it deserved? The answer to the second question is a definite yes. This article will explore the first question in more detail. The History: Records of this estate stretch as far back as 1234 when Gombaud de Lafite, abbot of the Vertheuil Monastery north of Pauillac, owned the property. The name Lafite comes from "la hite", a Gascon expression meaning "small hill." Records from the 14th century indicate that it was not a vineyard, but what the French call a seigneurie. This is an estate run by a lord and others who are effectively sharecroppers. The manor house was constructed in the 1500s and still standing today. Read part one of the First Growths Series. The Ségur family bought the property in the 1600s. Jacques de Ségur planted the vineyard in 1680 although grapes were no doubt grown before that. By the early 1700s, thanks to Nicolas-Alexandre, Marquis de Ségur, Chateau Lafite wines were very popular with those wealthy enough to afford them, first in English Society (where it was a favorite of Prime Minster Robert Walpole) and later in French society.

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2008 Château Haut-Brion, France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan, Wine Review

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Bordeaux First Growths: Chateau Lafite, First Amongst First Growths